The most important thing a woman can do when she finds out she is pregnant is eat nutrient dense foods. Pregnancy is not an excuse to eat whatever you want, it’s a time to nourish yourself and your baby. Ideally, it’s best to start preparing your body (and your partner’s body!) about 6-12 months prior to conception.

University of California, Berkeley, researchers have found what they think is a critical and, until now, missing piece of the puzzle about how stress causes sexual dysfunction and infertility.

New research shows that stress increases brain levels of a reproductive hormone named gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone, or GnIH, discovered nine years ago in birds and known to be present in humans and other mammals. This small protein hormone, a so-called RFamide-related peptide (RFRP), puts the brakes on reproduction by directly inhibiting GnRH.

Cosmetics are a part of the daily grooming regimen for women across the country, but now consumer advocates say your favorite lipstick or mascara may be harmful to your health.

“There’s lead acetate in hair dyes, lead in lipsticks, formaldehyde and 1, 4-dioxane in baby shampoos and other shampoos,” said Lisa Archer, co-founder and former director of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and current director for the environmental group Friends of the Earth.

In a woman it takes approximately 100 days for the egg to develop towards ovulation and in the male it’s approximately 116 days for sperm production to be completed. A proactive way to utilize this time involves couples adapting a healthy diet and environment in the four months prior to a possible conception. Although the focus is often on women in fertility issues, the reality is that men share 50% of the responsibility in the creation of a healthy embryo.

Site Search

Hours & Location

Social Media

Justin is a scholar and clinician of Classical Chinese Medicine living in San Diego, California, where he maintains a private practice specializing in stress, gastrointestinal, infertility, and autoimmune conditions.